


The Hands of Men

by sun_dance



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2013-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 04:11:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1089474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sun_dance/pseuds/sun_dance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Chuck and Raleigh used to be thick as thieves; after high school, Raleigh leaves for the Air Force without so much as saying goodbye, and Chuck is more than a little bitter about it. However, when his father gets married to Raleigh's best friend's dad, it's inevitable that they run into each other again. Chuck thought he was over it; he thought wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i put this together quickly and late at night; it's just something quick and dirty.

He really, _really_ doesn’t want to go to the wedding. He’s never adored anyone as much as he loves Stacker, and by extension, his fiancé Herc; but there’s someone he knows will be there, in the wedding party right along with them, and he doesn’t know if he’s ready for it.

He manages to make it through customs without any problems.

When the plane takes off, his knuckles turn white gripping the arm rests. It’s the first time he’s been on a plane since his honorable discharge, and his ears pop when they level out at the proper attitude. He swallows three Ativan without any water, and he’s asleep before the seatbelt light clicks off.

Nine hours later, the plane touched down in London, and Raleigh was being woken up by a smiling flight attendant. He wiped the drool off his face with the back of his arm and retrieved his duffel bag from the overhead compartment.

Stacker was waiting by baggage claim, dressed in his typical deep blue suit. To his left, Mako clutched a tablet to her chest, grinning.

“Mako,” he smiled, approaching with his lopsided gait. He dropped his duffel bag on the ground and encompassed her in a warm hug, her face buried in his shoulder.

 _“It’s good to see you,”_ she whispered in Japanese. Raleigh bowed his head briefly, echoing the sentiment, and turned to Stacker. He lifted his hand stiffly, saluting the man with his back rigid.

“Beckett,” Stacker growled. His face split into a smile after only a few seconds, and he stepped forward, his arms all but crushing Raleigh’s ribs.

The three days leading up to the wedding passed in a blur, and Raleigh was suddenly facing the rehearsal dinner. He fidgeted with his tie, adjusted the position of his blazer, and then Mako’s hands were smoothing over his shoulders.

“It’s just a dinner, Raleigh,” she said quietly, rubbing his shoulders with surprisingly strong hands. “You won’t even have to talk to him,” she soothed, and he turned around to look at her. She kissed his cheek from behind and hopped off the bed, adjusting her blouse in the mirror.

“Thanks for helping with my nerves,” he smirked, setting his arm on her shoulders. She glanced up at him and patted his chest.

“Anything for an old friend.” Raleigh lifted an eyebrow and resisted the urge to ruffle her hair; she’d spent ten minutes fixing it after their escapades. “Come on,” she coaxed, taking his hand. She pulled him out of the room, the door clicking shut behind them.

They met Stacker in the lobby, and the three of them waited for his groom-to-be and the best man. Raleigh wasn’t in the wedding party, but he had been invited to the rehearsal dinner, and had no intention of turning it down.

They made small talk for a few minutes, and soon enough Herc was striding towards them dressed in dark jeans and a deep green sweater, his face covered in a two day stubble. Trailing behind him and pulling on his own jacket came a familiar yet barely recognizable barrel-chested man. He was the spitting image of Herc, sporting the same ruffled dirty blonde hair and bright green eyes.

Herc pressed a chaste kiss to Stacker’s cheek, and shook Raleigh’s hand with more gentleness than he ever expected. For how long he’d known Chuck, he never expected to be blown away by the man. The last time Raleigh had seen him, neither of them had enlisted yet. Chuck had been just a scrawny kid with not a gram of muscle mass, barely able to hold his own whenever they wrestled.

His breath caught in his throat when Herc stepped aside, and he waited his turn.

Chuck grinned crookedly, shaking Stacker’s hand. He kissed Mako’s knuckles, and turned at last towards Raleigh. He sucked in a breath, thrust out his hand, and Raleigh took it hastily. He pulled Chuck in close, wrapping his arm around his shoulders for a brief moment. As they pulled back, he turned his head, prepared to give Chuck an affectionate kiss on the cheek; he seemed to have the same thought, and the corner of his mouth caught the edge of Chuck’s lips for the briefest of moments.

“Good to see you,” Raleigh huffed, pulling back from him. The other looked like he’d been shocked, but nodded sharply, his jaw working.

“Likewise,” he drawled, and turned back to his father. “We better get going. Don’t wanna miss the reservation,” he waved his hands at Herc and Stacker, ushering them out to where two cars were parked and waiting.

The three of them tucked Stacker and Herc into the first, and crammed into the second with Raleigh in the middle, his shoulders sandwiched between Chuck’s and Mako’s. His mind was buzzing from the accidental kiss – more of a peck, really – and he kept his silence the whole way to the restaurant.

By the time they got out of the car, Stacker and Herc were exchanging quiet words, standing intimately close. Mako cleared her throat and wedged between them, hooking an arm in each of theirs before steering them inside.

“They look happy,” Raleigh said quietly. Chuck glanced at him over Mako's head and he nodded curtly.

“I should hope so,” he deadpanned, and headed inside. Raleigh rubbed the back of his head, sighing softly. He walked through the double doors and spotted Mako sitting on one of the couches in the lobby. She waved him over, and he sat himself in between her and Herc. He hadn’t been sitting for more than a few seconds when she excused herself, leaving just the two of them.

“You know,” Herc started, his drawl similar but somehow more relaxed than his son’s. “Someday, I think I wouldn’t mind having you for a son in law.” He set his arm across Raleigh’s back and patted the opposite shoulder, smiling knowingly at Raleigh.

“Oh,” he shifted uncomfortably, toying with his watch, “Mako and I don’t feel that way about each other.”

Herc’s amused chuckle was more than unsettling, but before he got a chance to elaborate, Herc was standing and entering the main part of the restaurant. With a sigh, Raleigh could only follow.

In spite of Chuck’s aloofness, the dinner passed quickly and amiably.

He wasn’t sure how, but somehow he stumbled into his room several hours later, considerably drunk after hitting the bar with the others. He fell back on his bed, his eyes closing briefly.

It hadn’t been more than five minutes, but he heard a swift knock on his door. Raleigh forced himself to wake up  and pulled himself to his feet, calling out incoherently to let whoever was at the door that he was on his way.

Leaning haphazardly against the wall, he unlocked the door and pulled it open. It took him ten whole seconds to register that Chuck Hansen, who had avoided his gaze the entire night with excruciating efficiency, had a hand on each side of the door frame and was leaning forward with a hungry - slightly drunk - expression.

“Chuck?” Raleigh dragged in a breath, scrubbing a hand over his face.

It took approximately one second for Chuck to surge forward, knocking Raleigh back from the door. He had his tongue in Raleigh’s mouth before it had even swung shut.

Raleigh noticed that Chuck tasted like orange liqueur and chocolate and whisky, and groaned as he pressed the length of his body into him.

It took him a minute to process what was happening; in that time, Chuck wrapped his hand around his tie and loosened the knot. He ripped it angrily from Raleigh’s neck, sliding his hands down the front of his chest. Raleigh whined low in his throat, his nipples already hard and pressing into Chuck’s hands as they roamed. His jacket soon joined his tie on the floor, and then Chuck pulled him away from the wall by the belt.

“What are you doing?” Raleigh managed to choke, but he didn’t protest when Chuck shoved him down on the bed and crawled on top of him, forcing his head to the side so he could lick a long stripe from Raleigh’s collar bone to his ear. He answers by taking the tip of Raleigh’s ear between his teeth, biting just shy of too hard, and Raleigh's hips roll involuntarily.

“How could you do that?” Chuck demanded, buttons popping as he shoved Raleigh’s shirt open. “How could you just leave, without saying goodbye, did you even think about what that would do?” He growled, sinking his teeth into Raleigh’s shoulder. Raleigh bit his hand to keep from crying out, his eyes stinging. Chuck soothed the bite with his tongue, but even that consideration was full of frustration and hurt and anger.

“Chuck, I…” Raleigh groaned, his breath catching when Chuck palmed him roughly through his jeans. “Fuck,” he hissed, and grabbed a handful of the Australian’s hair. He fought through his drunken stupor and dragged Chuck’s mouth to his own, their teeth clicking together, tongues fighting for dominance. With a grunt, Chuck tore his mouth away from Raleigh’s and jerked his dress shirt out of his pants. Raleigh complied with his rough hands, rolling one way and then the other so he could work the it off his shoulders and throw it across the room.

Chuck returned to his neck, leaving bite marks all the way down his chest. While he was busy, Raleigh dragged the sweater vest off over his head, ignoring the look of annoyance Chuck glared his way. He licked his way around Raleigh’s belly button, his teeth catching the skin on his belly.

“Fucker,” Raleigh growled, shoving his hand into Chuck’s hair.

“Asshole,” he replied, making Raleigh howl into his own hand when he pulled back his lips and sunk his teeth into his flesh. Raleigh was panting already, and lifted his head to watch through watering eyes as Chuck roughly opened his belt, flicked open his jeans, and pulled the zipper down with his teeth and a snarl.

His blunt fingernails scraped Raleigh’s hips as he pulled his jeans off. He worked Raleigh’s briefs halfway down his thighs, glancing briefly at Raleigh when his cock came free. His breath caught in his throat, and he watched Chuck wrap his hand around the base. He licked a slow stripe up the bottom of his dick, teasing the base of his head with the tiniest flick of his tongue. Raleigh’s head dropped back when Chuck wrapped his lips around his head and plunged his mouth down, his nose pressed into his pubic bone.

"Christ," he whined, Chuck's throat working around him in slow torture.

He felt the warning of Chuck’s teeth as he pulled back, his cheeks hollowed around his head. He flicked his tongue ruthlessly under his head, and then he was spilling into Chuck’s mouth without any warning. He threw his arm over his eyes to catch his breath, wishing he’d lasted longer, but he was too drunk. Before he could even say a word, he heard the door slam shut, and bolted upright.

His heart sank when he realized Chuck had left, and he hadn’t even gotten to return the favor. He licked his lips, gingerly pushing his underwear to the floor. He peered through the keyhole, willing Chuck to walk by again, but gave up after just a few seconds. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

He was just about to get in when he caught his reflection; the front and back of his left shoulder was peppered with puffy pink scars where shrapnel had ripped into his body; they weren’t quite healed yet, and had been the reason for his discharge papers. His eyes were drawn to his other shoulder, for once, eyes glued to the hickey there and the perfect bite mark on his hip. He covered one mark with each hand, his arms crossed over his chest, and shivered.

The following morning, he made his way across the hall and knocked on Mako’s door, sporting a pair of sweat pants and a loose fitting t-shirt. She opened the door, wearing cotton pajama pants and her blouse from the night before. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She took his arm and steered him toward the elevator, a knowing look in her eyes.

He had only just finished telling her about the events of the night before when the doors slid open to reveal the lobby, and standing before them with an unlit cigarette dangling from his fingers stood Chuck, shadows under his eyes and his hair an unkempt mess.

Chuck opened his mouth, narrowed his eyes, and snapped it shut again. Raleigh slipped his arm around Mako and pulled her closer.

“Fucking figures,” Chuck muttered, turning in a tight circle. He stood with his back to the elevator, scanning the lobby; they slipped past, Mako’s hand clasped in his, and walked quickly across the lobby. When he glanced over his shoulder, Chuck was standing on the elevator. Even from across the large room, Raleigh could see the tendon standing out in his jaw. He stared until the doors closed, and Mako pulled him along towards breakfast.

He didn’t shut up about Chuck during the entire meal, expressing his dislike for the “man-child” loudly and between almost every bite.

At the end of the meal, Mako once again had to drag Raleigh across the lobby, his complaints growing louder and louder. In the elevator, she shut him up with her tongue, and left him dazed while she stomped down the hall to her room.

Her door shut before he managed to catch it, and he grumbled while he let himself into his own room. He took his time showering, his hands braced against the shower wall while two parts of himself waged war. He stayed that way until the water lost its heat, and stepped out into the steamy bathroom. The bite on his hip had blossomed into a full bruise, and Raleigh sighed as he toweled off.

Once he finished getting dressed, he tucked his wallet, phone, and hotel key into the inner pockets of his tuxedo jacket.

In the lobby, Mako and Chuck were already waiting. He ignored Chuck as he approached, offered his arm to Mako, and the three of them walked out to flag down a cab.

The wedding was small and intimate; aside from the grooms, Mako, Chuck, and Raleigh, there were only a handful of other people. The Kaidanovskys, dressed in matching slacks and Hawaiian print shirts; the Wei Tangs, all dressed in different shades of purple; Dr. Geiszler; and Hermann Gottlieb. The latter two were bickering about having accidentally color-coded, which didn’t surprise anyone.

After Stacker and Herc said their vows and slipped the rings on each other’s fingers, they rode away in a limo Mako had decorated with two dozen aluminum cans. The three shared yet another cab to the reception; Chuck molds himself against the door of the cab the whole way, but it's all in vain. They’re both too broad shouldered for it to matter, and Raleigh ends up pressed against him from the hip down.

The moment they arrive at the reception, Chuck bolts from the car. Raleigh’s hot on his heels, following him through two sets of double doors, around a corner, and finally chased him into the bathroom. He grabbed Chuck by the scruff of his neck and spun him against the wall, pulling one wrist behind his back.

“We need to talk,” Raleigh growled into his ear. Chuck snarled and struggled, but Raleigh pressed harder on his wrist until he relaxed. He panted against the wall for a long moment. He nodded, and Raleigh let him go. He had the presence of mind to lock the door, and when he turned around, Chuck was rolling his shoulder experimentally. Raleigh shoved a hand into his hair.

“What the fuck, man,” he said, and it wasn’t the most eloquent thing he’d ever said, but it seemed to get the job done. Chuck lifted his chin defiantly.

“What, Raleigh?” He growled, stretching the first syllable. Raleigh clenched his jaw, his nostrils flaring angrily.

“You can’t just…” He trailed off, and Chuck smirked at the flush creeping up his neck.

“Can’t what?” He taunted, taking a step toward him.

“You can’t just barge into my room, blow me, and disappear,” he growled through gritted teeth. “And then act like nothing happened,” he added, circling slowly. He couldn’t tell whether he wanted to punch him or fuck him, and the similarity between the two emotions was astounding and confusing.

“Isn’t that what you did, hm? Take off to go fly in the Air Force, not so much as a goodbye,” Chuck snarled, mirroring Raleigh step for step while he circled.

“Is that what this is about?” Raleigh raised his eyebrows. “You’re pissed I never said goodbye?” Chuck snorted, shaking his head.

“’Course not,” he growled, but he didn’t retreat when Raleigh took a step forward. His pupils jumped open, and Raleigh crowded towards him. He backed Chuck up against the wall, taking him from pissed off to… something else in a matter of seconds.

“You’re pissed that I left,” Raleigh said slowly, his hands on the wall on either side of Chuck’s head. “Admit it,” he growled, his body just barely touching, but not trapping Chuck just yet. He swallowed, jaw working, and Raleigh decided not to wait anymore. He leaned forward until they were breathing the same air, and with a groan Chuck broke first. He tilted forward, his hands framing Raleigh’s neck to keep him from retreating, and pressed against his mouth eagerly.

They had similar builds, shoulders muscular from their respective armed forces. They were of similar heights, but Raleigh’s wingspan extended just a little bit farther. He curled one of his long arms around Chuck’s back, exhaling a string of curses into his mouth. Raleigh pressed forward until he had him pinned against the wall, his free hand shoved into the hair on the back of Chuck’s head; it both acted as a solid handhold and a cushion between his head and the wall.

When Raleigh forced his head back, exposing his throat, Chuck sucked in a breath. Raleigh exhaled hotly, his mouth hovering, until Chuck tugged on his hips. He obliged eagerly, latching on to Chuck’s neck with a vengeance. It wasn’t long before he was grinding his erection into Raleigh’s hip, his hands flitting everywhere from Raleigh’s hair to his ass.

Just when Chuck is nearly delirious, panting and pleading in his ear, Raleigh pulled back completely. He stared across the space between them, conflicted emotions flitting across the flyboy's face; Raleigh turned to unlock the door, and the next thing he knew, he was alone in the bathroom with an aching cock at his own father’s wedding reception. He swore under his breath, his anger returning twofold.

By the time he made his way to the reception hall, the only available seat left was between Raleigh and Herc. He swallows and sits down, fury coiling in his stomach when Raleigh tosses him an easy smile. In spite of the grin, there is heat in his eyes, and Chuck cheekily returns his smirk.

Chuck is in the middle of telling a story about his first week in the Army when Raleigh sets his hand just above his knee. His words falter, tumbling clumsily out of his mouth until he was able to regain his momentum. Raleigh squeezes gently, his fingertips swirling on the inside of his thigh. Chuck shifted in his seat, just shy of a squirm, and tried to focus on what Sasha was saying. Raleigh squeezed again and slid his hand higher, moving every few minutes, until his hand is resting directly over Chuck’s crotch, palming him through his slacks. He covers his mouth with one hand and sets his elbow on the table, putting all of his focus into not making a sound.

Chuck managed to make it through the speeches, and then he turned directly to Raleigh.

“Bathroom. Five minutes,” he hissed. Raleigh smirked after him, waited six minutes, and then excused himself from the table. He walked leisurely down the hall, fighting the spring in his step, and pushed open the bathroom. He locked the door again and peered around the corner. The handicap stall was closed but not locked, and he pushed it open to see Chuck with his cock in his hand, leaning against the wall as he stroked himself.

“Fuck,” Raleigh groaned, crossing the stall. Chuck panted into his mouth, his cock already red and leaking. Raleigh assaulted his mouth one moment, and in the next he dropped to his knees and shoved Chuck’s hand out of the way. He whined at the loss of stimulation, his hands threading into Raleigh’s hair. Using nothing but his tongue, Raleigh collected the liquid oozing from the end of his penis, looked up at Chuck through lidded eyes. “Just fuck my mouth,” he growled, and Chuck needed no further encouragement.

He fisted his hands in Raleigh’s hair, pulling him roughly onto his cock. He manages to make it for another thirty seconds, and then he shoves himself all the way into Raleigh’s mouth. He chokes, but doesn’t move a muscle, his throat working as Chuck spent himself in his mouth.

When he was done, Raleigh pulled off, wiping saliva from his mouth. He stood up, pressing Chuck into the wall; the pressure helped keep him upright, and he didn’t protest when Raleigh kissed him – this time slow and explorative.

“I still hate you,” Chuck breathed into his mouth; his voice holds none of its usual venom, but Raleigh chalks it up to the afterglow of orgasm and tells him to shut up. Chuck can taste himself on Raleigh’s tongue, can feel Raleigh pressing against him.

“Do you fucking know how long I’ve wanted this,” Raleigh growls, trailing his mouth down towards his neck. Chuck whimpered, too blissed to push Raleigh away from his over-sensitive nerves. He pulled back, finally, and stared down into his eyes.

“Do you know how many times I went to sleep thinking about _this_ ,” he growled, grinding himself into the other’s groin. Chuck whimpered softly, his cock soft and too sensitive.

“You have no idea,” he hissed, and stepped back just a fraction. He tucked Chuck's cock back into his pants with care, zipped him up, made him presentable again. He straightened Chuck’s jacket, adjusted the tie, and looked into his eyes once more. “I haven’t thought about anything else since I left.”

“Good,” Chuck mumbled, surging forward. Raleigh met his mouth, relieved that his kiss held no anger or spite. He pulled Chuck closer, deciding not to worry about what this meant just yet.


	2. Chapter 2

_Grad party._

_For how many times he’d thought about it (or rather, made fun of it with Chuck), Raleigh had never once thought he’d be standing in front of the flash, his arm curled around Mako’s waist. She had asked him that afternoon if he would go with her, and he simply couldn’t say no._

_He was supposed to be lounging on Herc’s couch with Chuck, playing Call of Duty until three in the morning. He was supposed to tell Chuck that he was getting on a plane at six am the following day that would take him to training. He was supposed to tell Chuck he was in love with him, but instead, he danced awkwardly with Mako. He told her about his feelings for Chuck, told her about the Air Force._

_She didn’t laugh or pity him for crushing on the cute junior they’d taken under their wing; she simply smiled and stroked his cheek and told him she already knew and that she would miss him._

_When Raleigh drove by Chuck’s house later that night, his hands were shaking. He texted the wiry kid that he was outside, and watched him climb out his window. Raleigh leaned against his car, hands in his pockets to hide their tremors, and waited._

_“What’s up, mate?” Chuck grinned, punching him on the shoulder. Raleigh swallowed and looked down at the ground._

_“I just wanted to see you,” Raleigh shrugged._

_“That’s all? Come play videogames,” he said, tugging on Raleigh’s arm. He resisted, and Chuck’s smile faltered. “What’s wrong?” said softly, and Raleigh’s heart sank._

_“Nothing,” he mumbled, pushing off of the car. “Chuck, I…” He swallowed, sucking in a breath._

_“Spit it out, Raleigh,” Chuck teased, looking small and annoyed in sweat pants and a too large long-sleeved shirt that once belonged to Raleigh._

_“I just – I needed to see you, I needed to tell you –” He was stammering, his words tumbling out clumsily, and Chuck’s temper flared._

_“Tell me what?” He demanded, fists clenched at his side._

_“That I – you – I mean, I just wanted to say – oh, fuck it,” Raleigh groaned, and took a step forward. He took Chuck’s face in his hands and leaned forward, pressing his lips awkwardly against the younger boy’s._

_Chuck went rigid, his hands opening and closing at his sides. When he was released, he stared at Raleigh with sudden realization._

_“Oh,” he said softly. Raleigh took a step back, his heart pounding._

_“Yeah. That’s all.” He waited a beat, and Chuck continued staring. “I gotta go,” he said, and ducked back into the driver’s seat of his car._

_“Raleigh –”Chuck reached out, but he had already started the car and pulled away. He stood on the lawn, realizing that his socks were soaked through from the grass, and stared at Raleigh’s retreating tail lights._

Raleigh shook himself out of the memory and realized the water was ice cold and he was shivering. He turned off the steady stream of water and wrapped a towel around his waist. He retrieved the cream his doctor had given him for the shrapnel scars and took a few minutes to rub it into his shoulder. His chest and back and inner thighs were covered in tiny, quarter-sized bruises, and when he stepped out of the shower, the culprit was (thankfully) still snoring sweetly in his bed.

He sat on the edge and started drying off more thoroughly, starting with his hair and working his way down. The figure shifted behind him, releasing a soft sigh of content. He felt a toes wriggling under his butt and when he turned, Mako’s head was propped up on her hand, grinning at him.

“What are you doing?” He smiled, swatting at her feet under the blankets.

“My feet are cold,” she whined. Raleigh stood up and finished drying off his lower half, retrieving a pair of briefs from his bag. He pulled them on and slipped back under the covers, pulling her close. She set her head on his chest and sighed into his warmth, her knees curled up into his lap.

“How did you sleep?” He asked, kissing the top of her head. She reached for the television remote and turned it on, searching for something to watch.

“Perfectly,” she purred, settling on a channel. “Are you going to tell me why I’m in here and not your hunky Army man?” She tilted her head back to look up at him, and sighed at his expression. “You two are the more stubborn than anyone I’ve ever met,” she grumbled, setting her head back down. “And look at my dad!” She cried, tensing for just a moment.

“Your dad is the reason I actually did something with my life,” Raleigh chuckled, stroking her arm lightly. “Chuck and I… Well, it’s complicated,” he sighed.

“You love him, he loves you, what’s complicated about it?” She asked, looking up at him with her lower lip sticking out.

“Did I ever tell you what happened after I left the grad party?” She shook her head, and he sighed. “I kind of… kissed him.”

“You _kind of_ kissed him?” She sat straight up, the sheets falling away from her chest. “That’s like _kind of_ shooting someone in the face.”

“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you, you know,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. Mako’s nostrils flared and she started rambling at him in Japanese, her words coming too quick for Raleigh to get more than just an idea of what she was saying. After five minutes, she finally ran out of steam, and Raleigh raised his eyebrows. “Are you done?”

Mako narrowed her eyes and got off the bed, searching around the room for her clothes. She managed to find her bra and strapped it on, pulling her dress on afterward. Her hair stuck up in all directions from the night before, and not all of it was from Raleigh.

After the reception dinner, they had tucked the newlyweds into a cab for the airport and headed out to a club, not ready to finish celebrating.

Chuck and Raleigh had orbited each other, never straying more than a few feet. He was pretty sure Mako danced with just about everyone in the party, including the stoic Kaidanovskys, and watched the entire time. As the night progressed, Chuck and Raleigh got more and more drunk. While Raleigh got more and more handsy, Chuck seemed to pull away, excusing himself long before the rest of the party was finished dancing. At first, Raleigh had thought nothing of it, but when he was gone for ten minutes, he wandered outside to look for him.

He found him standing on the street, surrounded by at least six different cigarette butts with a seventh hanging from his mouth. He was swearing around it, clicking his lighter repeatedly without any flame.

“Chuck?” Raleigh called out, and he whirled around.

“Oh,” he muttered, and Raleigh took the lighter from his hand. He fished out one of the matchbooks the restaurant had given them and struck one, holding it up to the end of the cigarette. Chuck waited a moment, his cheeks pulling slowly. He pulled away from the flame and grabbed the cigarette, blowing smoke out of the side of his mouth. Raleigh shook the match and dropped it on the ground, making sure to grind his toe into it.

“You all right?” He asked, watching with a grimace while Chuck smoked the cigarette as if his life depended on it.

“As a matter of fact, no,” he said, his voice unnaturally cheerful. He scowled and turned away, one arm folded under the other, and blew another cloud of smoke into the street.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, stepping closer. When Chuck turned back around, he was only centimeters away, and he sucked in a gasp of surprise.

“What are we doing, Raleigh?” He growled, flicking ash onto the ground. Raleigh ground his toe into that, too, just to be safe.

“We’re standing on a street in London,” Raleigh deadpanned, reaching up towards Chuck’s face. He jerked backward, and knots started forming in Raleigh’s stomach again. “Chuck,” he said lowly, his hand returning to his side. Chuck pulled again on the cancer stick, his eyes burning brighter than the embers at the tip.

“I mean,” he paused, blowing smoke out of his nose. It completed the wild-eyed look of anger on his face, and Raleigh had to hold back a chuckle. “I’m flying back to Yemen in a few days, so what the fuck are we doing?” He demanded, flicking the ash off once more. Raleigh forgot to rub his toe in it.

“I don’t know,” he said finally, taking a tiny step backward. He looked over his shoulder at the club.

“I’ve got someone over there, you know,” he snarled. “His name’s Rick. Tiny little twink, worships the ground I walk on.”

“Good for you,” Raleigh turned back to him, his lip curling at the thought. They stared at each other, the only sound between them the burning tip of the cigarette. Chuck blew his next lungful of smoke right into Raleigh’s face and dropped the cigarette.

“Fucking coward,” he muttered, turning away.

“Beg your pardon?” Raleigh grabbed the lower part of Chuck’s bicep and pulled him around, dodging the sloppy punch that swung towards him. “I’m not a coward for choosing not to grovel and beg you to leave someone else,” Raleigh snarled. Chuck glared at him, lowering his hand back to his side. He turned a fraction and lifted the cigarette. “Idiot,” Raleigh said, grabbing the half-smoked cigarette.

“Oi!” Chuck cried, watching Raleigh throw the thing on the ground and step on it. “That was my last one.”

“Good,” Raleigh turned, walking back into the club with Chuck’s eyes boring into the back of his skull.

He found Mako and told her he wanted to leave; she didn’t hesitate, merely grabbed her purse and led him out. Chuck was no longer standing outside, much to Raleigh’s relief; when they made it back to the hotel, still a little drunk, Raleigh had pulled her into his room, and that was where she’d stayed.

She pulled open his door, having given up on finding her underwear.

“Mako,” he called out, spotting them on the floor by his side. He picked them up and chased her into the hall, where she was fumbling with her room key. “Here,” he said, holding them out to each other.

“Christ, it figures,” said a voice to his left, and he turned to see Chuck. If possible, he looked even more wrecked than the night before. He looked from Mako, still wearing her dress from the night before, to the underwear in Raleigh’s hand, and then to Raleigh, his eyes traveling from his bare feet all the way to his bare chest.

“What?” Raleigh said, and Mako quickly stepped into her room to get out of the line of fire.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” Chuck turned on his heel, and pushed open the door he’d presumably just left. Raleigh closed the distance, muscling his way in before it could fully shut.

“Bullshit, nothing. You told me last night you had someone else. What the fuck does it matter who I spent my night with?”

“It doesn’t,” Chuck spat, holding open the door as though Raleigh was going to leave; as though it would be that simple. As though it had ever been that simple.

In high school, they’d met on the wrestling team when Chuck was a freshman and Raleigh was a sophomore; in spite of Chuck being the skinniest kid on the team, he had singled out Raleigh – the cocky, self-assured sophomore who bragged about taking second in the state for his weight class – and challenged him on the mat.

At first, Raleigh had refused. The kid was nearly half his size. Chuck persisted, and made a bet: if he lost, he’d leave the team. But if he won, Raleigh would owe him a favor to be cashed in at any time. Unable to turn down a sure thing, Raleigh agreed.

Raleigh had pinned him twice in thirty seconds, the kid’s movements clumsy and slow. The third round, though, he managed to duck between Raleigh’s cocky swing and jump on his back. He wrapped his legs around the older boy’s waist, his arms crushing his neck, and the next thing Raleigh knew he was coming around with the rest of the wrestling team staring down at him. He sat up, looking around wildly, and spotted him sitting on a stack of mats.

“Don’t worry about me staying on the team. I’m more of a videogame person,” he hopped down, strutting over toward Raleigh as he got to his feet. “I’ll be calling in that favor sometime; make sure you’re ready,” he smirked, and Raleigh stared after him as he left the gym.

Less than a week later, he and Mako were sitting under the shade of a tree when he spotted the kid walking by, his head down. An entire posse made of upper classmen was tailing him, hurtling insults and the occasional food item at the kid. As they watched, Chuck turned around, dropped his books, and prepared to hurl himself into their midst.

“Shit,” Raleigh muttered, surging to his feet. He grabbed the back of Chuck’s shirt at the last second and pulled him back. From where Mako sat, she couldn’t make out what was being said; Raleigh had evidently challenged them, judging from the way he stared each of them down one by one. They turned away, muttering something about the kid not being worth it. Raleigh glanced at Chuck and scoffed, heading back towards Mako.

“I could’ve taken them,” Chuck called, picking up his books. He trailed Raleigh back to the tree and sat cross-legged in front of them, still clutching his books to his chest.

“You would’ve died trying,” Raleigh muttered, opening his textbook.

“I took you, didn’t I?” Chuck pressed, his eyes flashing.

“That was a stroke of damn luck, kid,” Raleigh sighed, looking at him. “They would have ganged up and torn you to pieces.” He paused, then closed his book. “Where you from, anyway?”

“Australia. My father moved here to work for a military law firm.”

“Which one?” Mako asked, meeting Raleigh’s gaze briefly. Chuck gave her the name with a shrug. “My father works there. Are you Charles Hansen? Hercules’ son?” She asked, sticking out her hand.

“Yep,” he said, taking it. “Call me Chuck.”

From then on, Chuck was always with them; at first, he’d tailed them around, sticking to their shadows, until one day Raleigh had sighed and grabbed his shirt, pulling him forward until he was walking with and not behind them.

When it came to Chuck and Raleigh, it was usually a fight to see whose stubbornness would win out, to see who would cave and leave first.

This time, it was Chuck. He swore and slammed the door shut, his body closing the distance between them. His shirt scratched at Raleigh’s chest when he pressed him against the wall, his fingertips digging into his hips. Raleigh slipped his arms around his shoulders, pulling him in close. He parted his mouth for Chuck’s determined tongue, scraping his bottom lip with his teeth. He pulled his hands around to Chuck’s chest, fisting his hands in his shirt. He managed to wrestle a few millimeters of space between them, Chuck’s mouth straining towards his.

“Bed,” Raleigh growled, shoving him in the right direction. He grunted indignantly but turned, peeling his shirt off as he went. At the foot of the bed, he kicked off his shoes and started to unbuckle his belt. He managed to get it undone just in time for Raleigh to shove him forward, face-first down on the bed. Before he could roll over, he felt his firm chest pressing him into the mattress, his mouth trailing over his neck from the back. He could feel the heat of Raleigh’s groin, firm and persistent, pressing into his ass, and he groaned at the thought. Chuck pushed upward, managing to flip over underneath him, and Raleigh straddled his hips. He started grinding down into him, and Chuck hissed, pulling him down. It was Chuck’s turn to suck in a breath when Raleigh took to his neck, his teeth dragging across tendons and nerves.

“Fuck,” Chuck panted in his ear, both hands on his ass and pulling his groin down roughly.

“Chuck,” Raleigh growled, his teeth grazing over his nipple as he moved lower.

“Yeah,” Chuck panted, his fury gone for the moment. He looked down at Raleigh, watching his tongue circle around and around.

“Do you have lube?” He growled, closing his teeth down on the sensitive flesh.

“Yes,” Chuck whined, arching into Raleigh’s mouth. He shoved him off and turned toward the night stand, fishing around in the drawer. He tossed it at Raleigh and returned to where he’d been.

“I want you to fuck me,” Raleigh hissed, kneeling between his thighs.

“Okay,” Chuck breathed, and it took a second for him to realize he wanted to _be_ fucked and not fuck _him._ “Oh,” he said, cheeks flushing.

“You don’t have to,” he said, pulling back, his eyes widening. “We can just do what we did before,” he said, setting the lube down.

“No,” Chuck rolled his eyes, wrapping an arm around Raleigh’s waist. He switched positions and leaned over Raleigh, who still wore a look of unease. “I just didn’t realize you wanted to. Stop looking at me like that,” he snapped, and when Raleigh didn’t stop looking at him like that, he gave him a hickey to match the one he’d delivered two nights earlier. Raleigh whimpered, pressing into Chuck’s mouth.

“Too many clothes,” he gasped, reaching for his pants. Chuck sat back on his heels, watching Raleigh undo his fly and push back the flaps. He wriggled out of the denim and returned, the heat between their groins doubling without the additional layer of clothing. Raleigh pushed at Chuck’s underwear until they were low enough that he could kick them off, and then he wrapped his hand around his cock. Chuck groaned into his skin, his tongue tracing jagged patterns into him as Raleigh’s thumb brushed over his head.

He pulled back and furiously tore at Raleigh’s underwear, swear words falling from his mouth almost continuously. He lowered his mouth to Raleigh’s cock, mouth sloppy and wet. Raleigh shoved the lube at him, waiting impatiently. Chuck started with one finger, added another before he was fully stretched, and Raleigh was already trembling as he repeatedly hooked his finger over his prostate.

“God, just do it, I don’t care,” he whined, his hands fisted in the sheets. Chuck’s eyes burned, and he added a third finger just for good measure. He scissored and bent his fingers mercilessly, watching Raleigh writhe on the bed in agony and pleasure. A sheen of sweat had broken out on his neck and chest, and finally Chuck withdrew his fingers. He sat up, his cock oozing, and fished around in his nightstand for an accompanying condom. He added a generous line of lube once it was on, stroking himself for good measure before he set the head of his cock against Raleigh’s entrance.

“Yes,” Raleigh hissed, lifting his hips slightly; Chuck pressed in slowly, inch by inch, until he had completely disappeared inside him. Raleigh whimpered at the burn, his eyes clenched shut. Chuck leaned over him, his hands bruising Raleigh’s hips.

“Look at me,” he growled, and Raleigh obeyed, looking up at him hazily. He jerked his hips forward and watched the multiple feelings flit across his face. He leaned down, brushing their lips together; Raleigh’s tongue traced his mouth, pressing in carefully. His kiss was sloppy, his mind paying too much attention to the stretch and burn in his ass. Chuck pulled back and pushed in again, sliding awfully across his prostate, and Raleigh through his head back with a loud moan of bliss. He took great care to thrust slowly, his precision impeccable. Raleigh keened into his mouth, his hands pulling and clawing at his back. It was bliss and agony and fullness all at once, and when Chuck wrapped his hand around him it took three strokes before he spasmed in his hand. Raleigh closed his eyes, his head thrown back and lips parted wide.

 _“Look at me,”_ Chuck barked, and Raleigh opened his eyes submissively. He gasped his way through it, thick ropes of come landed on his chest, reaching high with the force of it, and Chuck kept on stroking throughout.

When his body finally relaxed, Chuck stilled in him, looking down with approval. His look turned darker, and he sat up. He spread Raleigh’s legs and began moving in him, this time at a pace marked for his own pleasure. Raleigh let out a strangled cry, his hands clawing and reaching for Chuck all at once; he mercilessly thrusted in a way that dragged over his prostate every time, reducing Raleigh to a puddle of nerves. Chuck leaned over, deepening the angle, and his thrusts became uneven. He shouted, and stilled, as deep as he could get. He collapsed forward, feeling Raleigh trembling beneath him.

He pulled out gingerly, hearing Raleigh’s stifled whimper, but could go no further. He tumbled onto his side, laying his head on Raleigh’s shoulder, only vaguely aware of the wetness on Raleigh's cheek.

By the time he recovered, the sticky mess on Raleigh’s chest had cooled to a gross texture. Chuck got up, entering the bathroom on shaky legs to retrieve a cloth. He carefully cleaned Raleigh up, washing off his chest and then his groin and ass.

“You okay?” He asked, looming over him. Raleigh's breathing was even, even though the odd tremor still shook his body, and there were tracks from where tears had fell from his eyes. He cracked an eye, struggling to focus, and pulled Chuck close. He turned onto his side, pressing the length of his body to the other’s.

“Yes,” he mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw. “But don’t ever fucking do that again.” Chuck nodded, but Raleigh’s head had already sunk back to the bed.

“Raleigh,” he whispered, and the man in question groaned. He struggled to open his eyes. Chuck pulled his head on his shoulder, cradling him and rubbing his back. He didn't know how, but he knew he needed to make sure Raleigh was okay. He hadn't meant to take it quite so far.

“What, Chuck?” He sighed.

“I lied about that guy.” He muttered, wide-eyed and apologetic.

“I know,” Raleigh mumbled, turning onto his back. He curled his arm around Chuck, pulling him close. “There’s something I forgot to tell you on grad night, by the way.”

“What’s that?” Chuck propped his head up on his hand, cocking an eyebrow at him.

“I joined the Air Force. Ow!” he cried out, laughing and swatting at Chuck’s retreating fist. He rubbed the spot where he’d been punched, his fingertips searching for… something.

“There’s something else,” he mumbled, turning to look at Chuck. His expression sobered, and Chuck groaned.

“What?”

“I love you,” Raleigh said, and pressed his lips together to watch the array of emotions crossing his face.

“I know,” he said, settling finally. Raleigh reached up, brushing his knuckles against his neck.

“No, kid. I’m _in_ love with you.”

“Yeah,” Chuck said, nodding. “Me, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy?


End file.
